Turn signal switch for vehicles with temperature responsive deenergizing means



United States Patent O 3,175,056 TURN SIGNAL SWITCH FOR VEHICLES WITH TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE DEENERGIZ- ING lVIEANS Charles Swenson, P.O. Box 83, New York 10, N.Y. Filed Mar. 19, 1962, Ser. N0. 180,666 4 Claims. (Cl. Zim-61.3)

My invention relates to self resetting on self cancelling switches for vehicles and particularly so improvements in the turn signal controlling switch disclosed in my patent application Ser. No. 802,571, filed March 27, 1959, now Patent No. 3,055,997, issued September 25, 1962. The present application is a continuation-in-part of the prior application.

In the patented switch the turn signals are energized, when an operating handle is displaced yangularly from a normal oil position into a number of latched positions, in which it is held by spring means until automatically released by electromagnetic means after a time delay, which is made to vary in steps for the different handle positions.

In the present improved switch the handle is held in position by electromagnetic means and released by spring means, and it will be shown, how the handle may be set at any angle with the off position, and the delay before release varied continuously with the displacement.

A normally closed momentary switch is provided in the handle to disconnect the electromagnetic means, while the handle is placed in position and to release the handle if desired before the end of the selected time delay.

In the accompanying drawings FIG. l is a sectional view of the switch taken on the plane 1-1 in FIG. 2, which is a plan View of the switch with the covers removed; FIG. 3 is an inside View of a cover; FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View partly in a central section parallel vto FIG. 2 and also showing a modification; FIG. is the electric circuit diagram.

The same reference numerals are used for identical parts in all views.

Referring to the drawing the switch consists of a center housing 1, to which identical covers 2 are fastened in assembled relation by means of a central screw 3 and nut 4. The covers have an inwardly extending boss 5 with bearing for a pivot stud 6; the latter is hollow for the screw 3 and has a heavier middle portion molded into a Bakelite contact block 7, which is thereby adapted for turning within the center housing of coil spring 8 is xed at one end in the center housing (FIG. 2) and attached by the other end to the contact block so as to bias the latter toward a center oli position at the switch.

The contact block '7 carries resilient brass contact members, for which there are formed rectangular recesses 9 to contain contact members 10 and transverse rectangular holes 11 for contact members 12 and 13, each contact member is designed to make electrical contact with contact surfaces 14 imbedded in two identical Bakelite terminal boards 15, one of which is situated on either side of the contact carrying block 7 and held against reinforced sides 16 of the center housing by the assembly screw 3 and nut 4 in correct spaced and parallel relation with the contact block. The contact surfaces 14 are disposed on the circular arcs described by the contact members, and connections are made, as a contact member bridges two contact surfaces in the same terminal'board to light a signal lamp L or R by a vehicle battery 17 either through an external switch itl or an external flasher 19 in `accordance with markings on the terminal boards shown in FIG. 2 and the electric circuit in FIG. 5. Contacts are made by the Contact members 12, 13, as they bridge two contact surfaces in opposite terminal boards to enbetween resilient wings 40 of the latter.

ergize a solenoid, pilot lamp and thermostat circuit as will be described.

Rivets 20 are passed through the terminal boards, their heads and connecting lugs serving as the contact surfaces 14, other lugs such as 21 are used on the outside of the boards to connect some of the rivets and reduce wiring and soldering work. Wires are soldered directly to the rivets, passed through holes 22 in the terminal boards and collected into a cable.

By means of a suitable bracket or clamp (not shown) the switch may be mounted on parts .of a vehicle, which are grounded or connected to the negative side of the battery 17.

A hollow operating handle 23 is screwed into a plate 24, which is in turn fastened to the contact block 7; the handle 23 passes through an oblong hole 25 in the center housing permitting a 45 movement of the handle on either side of the center oil position, in which it is shown in the drawing. Alongside the hole 25 the center housing is provided with recesses or notches 26 at 15 interval, so that the handle may be held in these positions by means of a latch 27, which protrudes from the handle wall and inside the handle passes through the head 28 of a magnetic plunger 29. The plunger enters a solenoid 30, which is press iitted into the handle and provided with a metal jacket, to which one end of the solenoid coil is soldered and thereby grounded, while the other insulated end 31 of the coil is to be connected as later described. A coil spring 32 is placed around the plunger to urge the latch 27 out ot' the recesses 26. If the solenoid 30 is energized the plunger 27 will be drawn farther into it against the force at the spring 32, and the latch enters a notch 26. A coil spring 33 at the other end of the solenoid acts against a bayonet pilot lamp socket 34, which iits slidingly in the handle making electrical contact with the handle wall, and the lamp 35 protrudes through the handle end for use as a push button. The spring 33 also bends to make contact between the center contact point at the pilot lamp 35 and the resilient head 36 of a brass pin 37, which is provided with an insulating sleeve 38 and passes slidingly through `the length of the plunger 29 into a cavity 39 in the contactblock, Where the end of the pin 37 makes contact with the outer transverse contact member 13, as it enters lf the lamp 35 is pressed into the handle, the contact is broken, as the sleeve 38 spreads the wings 40 apart. The free end 31 of the solenoid coil is soldered to the extreme end of the pin 37 as shown in FIG. 4.

Two identical thermostats are constructed by winding an insulated resistance wire 41 on an arcuate strip of bimetal 42, the inner curved surface of which is covered with a layer of insulating material 43, and contact clips 44, 45 are provided on the ends of the bimetal; one end 46 of the coil 41 is soldered to the bimetal, while the other end is insulated from it and held under the clip 44. A thermostat is secured tightly in a pocket 47, which is formed in each cover near the rim, with the ends of the bimetal extending outside the pocket so as to permit bending in response to heating at the end 45. A leaf spring 48 with a contact point 49 on each extreme end is fixed under the plate 24 and extends perpendicularly into the cover; when the handle is displaced to either side, one contact point 49 will brace under suitable tension a coil 41, where its insulation has been removed, to connect the coil to the ground at the point of contact, while the other contact point 49 runs on the insulating layer 43 on the bimetal in the other cover.

On the outside of each terminal board 15 a contact member 50 is connected to a lug 51 and bent outward to contact the bimetal at the clip 44; likewise connection is made between a Contact member 52, a lug 53 and the clip 45 on the heat responsive end of the bimetal, this latter contact to be broken, as the bimetal bends outward when reaching a certain temperature.

In the modification illustrated in FIG. 4 the surfaces of the latch 27 and the center housing 1 cooperating to hold the handle in position vare shaped into matching ridges and grooves 54 so as to greatly increase the number of latched positions of the handle. By removing the corrugations 54, the handle may be. held by friction in a brake like manner and in any position, in which it is set.

In the circuit diagram in FIG. 5 the position of the contact members 10, 12,13 represents the position of the handle 23, which is indicated to be in the center oit position with the signal lamps under control of the eX- ternal switches 18. When the handle is removed to either side of center, the lamps on that side of the vehicle will flash, while the lamps on the other side remain under control ofthe siwtches 18.

A solenoid, pilot lamp circuit is closed as follows: lug marked B+ in one of the terminal boards, inner transverse contact member 12, lug 51 in the opposite terminal board, contact member 50, bimetal 42, contact member S2, lug 53, outer transverse contact member 13 and the pin 37.

Current also flows from the bimetal to the resistor coil end 46 and through a part of the coil 41 to the grounded point at contact 49, and heat is generated in the coil, until the bimetal responds and opens the solenoid, pilot lamp circuit to release the handle, whereupon the return spring 8 resets the switch in the off position.

Some advantages to a driver in being able to selectively vary the duration of display of the turn signals to meet traiiic conditions at the moment he is to make a turn, have been mentioned in the previous Patent No. 3,055,997.

In the improved switch described above it is possible to use a greater force to hold the handle in position, since it may be suspended by switch means, while the handle is manually set and released.

While I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, it is understood, that changes may be made therein within the scopeof the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a turn signal switch: an operating handle mov able into a plurality of contact making on positions of the switch; a solenoid; a magnetic plunger therein; means coacting with said plunger to hold the 4handle in contact making position when the solenoid is energized and to let go thereof when it is deenergized; means to return the handle to va normal o position; a thermostatic switch, including a bimetallic heat responsive element and a resistor heater in close association therewith, t0 connect said solenoid in circuit when the handle is moved into a contact making position and thereafter to break circuit upon heating of said element to response temperature, and means operated by the handle and including a member contacting said resistor to connect a part thereof in'circuit depending on the displacement of the handle from the normal position and accordingly vary the rate of heat applied to said element.

2. A switch according to claim 1 including a manually operated auxiliary switch connected in the circuit to deenergize thse solenoid while the handle is manipulated.

3. In a turn signal switch: an operating handle movable into a plurality of contact making on positions of the switch; electromagnetic means and means coacting therewith to hold the handle in contact making position when said electromagnetic means is energized and to let go thereof when it is deenergized; means to return the handle to a normal olf position; a thermostatic switch, including a heat responsive element and a resistor heater in close association thcrewith,'connecting said electromagnetic means in circuit when the handle is moved into a contact making position and thereafter breaking circuit upon heating of said element to response temperature, and means operated by the handle and including a member contacting said resistor to connect a part thereof in circuit depending on the displacement of the handle from the normal position and accordingly vary the rate of heat applied tosaid element. Y

4. A switch according to claim 3 including a manually operated auxiliary switch connected in the circuit to deenergize the electromagnetic means while the handle is manipulated.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TURN SIGNAL SWITCH; AN OPERATING HANDLE MOVABLE INTO A PLURALITY OF CONTACT MAKING "ON" POSITIONS OF THE SWITCH; A SOLENOID; A MAGNETIC PLUNGER THEREIN; MEANS COACTING WITH SAID PLUNGER TO HOLD THE HANDLE IN CONTACT MAKING POSITION WHEN THE SOLENOID IS ENERGIZED AND TO LET GO THEREOF WHEN IT IS DEENERGIZED; MEANS TO RETURN THE HANDLE TO A NORMAL "OFF" POSITION; A THERMOSTATIC SWITCH, INCLUDING A BIMETALLIC HEAT RESPONSIVE ELEMENT AND A RESISTOR HEATER IN CLOSE ASSOCIATION THEREWITH, TO CONNECT SAID SOLENOID IN CIRCUIT WHEN THE HANDLE IS MOVED INTO A CONTACT MAKING POSITION AND THEREAFTER TO BREAK CIRCUIT UPON HEATING OF SAID ELEMENT TO RESPONSE 